News
Provincial

Sexual interference victim suing former teacher, school board

A former Sherwood Park teacher convicted of sexual interference and luring is being sued by his victim, who is also taking action against the school board.

Brett Daniel Mittelsteadt pleaded guilty to sexual interference of a person under 16 and luring a child under 16 for the purpose of facilitating a sexual offence in August 2016. He was handed a two-year jail term and placed on the national sex offender registry for life.

During the criminal case, court heard Mittelsteadt was the victim's teacher at a Sherwood Park high school, as well as a coach and chaperone during the one-and-a-half year period during which the offences took place between March 2013 and September 2014.

The victim was 14 and 15 years old at the time Mittelsteadt sent her messages and pictures of himself, and escalated the encounters to meetings, hugging, kissing and making out. Mittelsteadt discouraged the student from going to parties or having relationships with other students.

Those allegations are reiterated in the $335,000 lawsuit originally filed with Court of Queen's Bench in December, which also names Elk Island Catholic Separate Regional Division as a defendant.

The former student, now 18, claims the abuses occurred from the time she was 13 to 16 years old, and that Mittelsteadt was given numerous opportunities to spend time alone with her without proper supervision. The claim states an intimate relationship was encouraged when arrangements were made for Mittelsteadt to provide support to the student outside of the classroom while she was grieving the death of a relative, and that the school board failed to react to the "open and public intimate contact" between the teacher and student.

The statement of claim alleges the school board failed to acknowledge or investigate the signs of an inappropriate or criminal behaviour, including the disregard of complaints made by teachers, parents and other students.

These allegations have not been proven in court.

The victim says she continues to suffer from a variety of mental, emotional and physical injuries and damage as a result of Mittelsteadt's actions and the school board's negligence. She says she requires ongoing therapy and treatment.

An amended statement of claim was filed with Court of Queen's Bench earlier this month after a publication ban was granted to protect the student's identity in the same way that a victim's identity is protected during a criminal case.

Following the criminal conviction, the Alberta Teachers' Association revoked Mittelsteadt's membership in the association, and recommended the education minister revoke his teaching certificate.